So, as we’ve been mentioning, we had a whirlwind of activity getting moved into our apartment.  I have to say, one of my biggest language goofs came this week. After only one day of looking for an apartment, we found one, but it had no kitchen.  This is not unusual in Italy.  When an apartment is unfurnished, it often has no kitchen.  I have been told that this has to do with taxes (maybe I’m just spreading rumors), and that if an apartment is not habitable (and a kitchen is deemed necessary for habitation), then the property taxes are lower. So while a dwelling is empty, the kitchen often goes.

Anyway, we were staying in the hotel, and had planned on staying there for as long as needed (but hopefully only 2 weeks), and the agent said that the kitchen would take 14 or 15 days.  At least that’s what I thought he meant.  So, I said that since we were eating at restaurants anyway, if the apartment could have the bedroom furniture moved in, we would be willing to stay there earlier and we’d just continue to eat in restaurants.

So we got our keys yesterday, and started moving things in, with the intention of checking out of the hotel.  Yay!  So, on Saturday afternoon when we came back with suitcases and found workers putting in the kitchen, I was quite surprised.  When I told the agent that I was surprised that we already had a kitchen, he said, yes, he had said 14 or 15.

Okay – in Italian you do not say 14th or 15th.  You don’t even say THE 14 or 15.  Just 14 or 15 means the 14th or 15th of the month.  Sheesh.  When I requested to move in “sooner” he probably either thought we were REALLY trying to save money on the hotel, or just that there’s no pleasing some people 😉

On to the next adventure!!